FG BELIEVES IN INCLUSIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES DELIVERY FOR NIGERIANS – EHANIRE
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has said that the Federal Government of Nigeria believes in the policy of inclusive Health Care Services for all Nigerians.
Dr. Ehanire made this known when he received the National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America (NANNNA), in his office recently in Abuja.
The Minister informed the Association that the National Primary Health Care has a design which he urged NANNNA to adopt in its collaboration with the Ministry.
Dr. Ehanire stated that the Federal Ministry of Health has developed a Strategic plan for the health sector and a copy of it would be given to the Association as a guide.
The Minister appreciated the Association for its activities in Nigeria especially Nursing Education Initiatives, Campaign against Domestic Violence in Nigeria and adoption of Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI), amongst others. He further urged NANNNA to invest in schools of Health Technology, especially in the area of research.
The Permanent Secretary, Health, Mr. Abdulazizi M. Abdullahi, commended the Association for its efforts towards taking the Nigeria Health sector to the next level, through their educational projects in various Nigerian Universities and improving community health programmes.
Mr. Abdullahi reminded NANNNA that nurses are the first point of call for every patient in hospitals and deserved to be treated well. He further advised Nurses to always respect patient’s right, as required by the ethics of their profession. He assured that the Ministry would continue with its collaborative engagement and support to the Association.
Speaking earlier, the leader of the Board of Directors, Dr. Grace Ogiehor-Enoma, commended the efforts and desire of the Minister to strengthen the Nigerian healthcare system through collaborations, which is in line with NANNNA’s core missions of creating opportunity for collaboration in the health-care community to improve nursing profession and quality of health of Nigerians.
She informed the Minister that NANNNA is a united organisation of all the Nigerian Nurses Associations and Nursing School Alumni in North America working to improve the health and quality of lives of Nigerians at home and abroad.
Dr. Ogiehor-Enoma further explained that the Association, after signing MOU with the Ministry has conducted several medical and educational missions to various villages in Nigeria through “take NANNNA to your village health initiatives’’ which encourages members to go back to their Villages and States to help improve the health of their communities. She also added primary healthcare centres through “Adopt a Primary Healthcare Centre Initiative” in their communities, and “Patient satisfaction a must for nurses” designed to help advance nursing practice and Change Nurses Attitude to Caring.
Briefing on the purpose of their visit, Dr. Ogiehor-Enoma, said that the Association’s visit was to re-strategize on their collaboration with the Ministry and formally invite the Honourable Minister to Chicago for its 2019 Global Health Conference and also solicit for support for its “Abuja 2020” Collaborative International Nursing Conference from August 10th – I5th, 2020.
Enefaa Bob-Manuel
Head (Media Public Relations)
